By Karie Wik, LMBT, CYT

Late Fall/Early Winter - Staying Healthy in Cold & Flu Season

Cold and Flu Season has hit, and especially for those of us who live or work around children it has already claimed it’s first victims. In addition to good hand-washing habits, getting a flu shot, eating nutrient rich foods and getting our rest, what else can we do to stay healthy this winter?

The basics of Ayurvedic theory on immunity are simplified a bit by introducing some terms below.

Ama and Ojas

Ojas is a Sanskrit term translating loosely as “vigor,” or vitality - your personal vital energy. It varies from day to day, year-to-year, etc. In a Western medical model, one of the first things a physician checks is your “vital signs.” When our vitality gets too far off from our set-point, more room exists for disease to set in, whether from internal or external sources. Similar conclusions can be made in regard to ojas. When ojas is low, we are not being nourished to our fullest potential. When what we take in cannot be assimilated and turned into ojas, instead it is left behind in the body as ama.

Ama is “partially digested food matter” left behind in the body by “incomplete or inefficient” digestion

Build-up of ama in the system can occur due to ingesting improper foods (highly processed, greasy fast food, too much food late in the evening, etc.) or by eating when you are upset, angry or stressed. Bottled up emotions can cause ama to collect in the body. Bodies with more ama become fertile ground for all kinds of infection, disease and allergens quickly. Ayurvedic treatments and practices aim to keep one’s ojas strong and to decrease the accumulation of ama. Preventative measures serve to increase immunity rather than to simply fight the invading viruses, infections and diseases once the individual has already become sick.

Agni and Changing Seasons

Ama accumulates throughout the season and is usually highest at the change of seasons when Agni, or the internal digestive fire may be disturbed and cannot burn through ama as efficiently. “Agni refers broadly to our ability to process all aspects of life, including food, experiences, memories, and sensory impressions.” In the fall, the air element kicks up, things become drier and cooler and Agni can be disturbed - thus ama accumulated over the summer months remains in the body and when flu season starts you are now more susceptible to catching every passing cold.

Ways to Boost Natural Immunity

* Stay warm as the temperatures drop - avoid iced drinks, they tend to put out Agni like a bucket of cold water on a campfire
* Warm Oil Massage (such as Abhyanga) treatments for full body care (see note on Panchakarma below)
* Steam treatments (such as Swedana) with specific herbs to combat dryness - a healthy mucous membrane will naturally usher out germs (see note on Panchkarma below)
* Avoid heavy, fried, greasy foods, meat, and simple carbohydrates, and over-stimulating the body with alcohol, or caffeine
* Favor light, warm but hearty and healthy foods - soups, grains, and warming spices (also see the recipe below)

Panchakarma

Panchakarma is a series of ayurvedic detoxification treatments specifically designed for your needs. It can be administered at any time and is recommended at the change of seasons to detoxify the system.


Recipe

A light and tasty grain, Quinoa (pronounced |keen-wah|) is Vata-balancing, as well as containing ample amounts of more than a half dozen vitamins/minerals. Search for more involved ways to serve it, or follow the basic recipe below to serve as a side dish.

Basic Quinoa

You will need:
1/2 cup quinoa
1 cup pure water
Rock salt to taste (optional)
1 tsp ghee (optional)

Wash the quinoa thoroughly by rinsing it several times. Drain.
Heat a pan and roast the quinoa dry for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add water, stir and bring to a boil.
Cover, reduce heat and cook at a gentle simmer for about 15 minutes until grains are translucent.
Stir in the salt and ghee.
Enjoy warm.
(Serves 1)